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National Nuclear Science Week 2013 Is Next Week – Just Around the Corner

In case you haven’t already seen all of the tweets, facebook posts and posters, I am thrilled to let you know that next week is National Nuclear Science Week for 2013! For the past two years I’ve been very lucky to participate as a Steering Committee member for this educational and very fun event, which continues to grow exponentially each year thanks to our fantastic team of nuclear educators.

In addition to local events all over the country, the NNSW team holds a “big event” in a different city each year, and this year it is in Aiken, South Carolina. As you probably already know, South Carolina is a very nuclear-friendly state—we get half of our electricity from nuclear energy. We also have a very strong nuclear nonprofit presence in the state, with the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization leading efforts on the ground for activities throughout the region next week.

Each day of the week offers something new to explore:

Monday is “Get to Know Nuclear” Day — with activities scheduled for local students at the Ruth Patrick Education Center in Aiken. We will also kick off NNSW with Citizen for Nuclear Technology’s annual Teller Lecture, with Keynote Speaker Marv Fertel from the Nuclear Energy Institute on Monday evening at the Aiken Convocation Center.

Tuesday is “Careers in the Nuclear Field” Day — with a webinar called Journey to the Center of the Atom as well as “Workforce Development Day” at the Kroc Center in Aiken. I will be there sharing my experiences as a Nuclear Tourist, and IndyCar Racer Simona De Silvestro will be joining us to talk about the importance of diversity in STEM careers and to show students her super cool race car!

The author and Simona De Silvestro at NNSW 2012

Wednesday is “Nuclear Generation” Day — which will appropriately be a day of tours for students to Plant Vogtle. Tours of the Savannah River Site and VC Summer will also be available throughout the week.

Thursday is “Nuclear Safety” Day — which will feature “Journey to the Center of the Atom,” Fundamentals of Nuclear Fuel and Career Opportunities at Georgia Regents University.

Friday celebrates “Nuclear Medicine” and will feature programming at the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie.

Events will be going on across the country – make sure to check with your local ANS, NAYGN and WIN chapters to see how you can get involved with National Nuclear Science Week in your community. You can use the NNSW Celebration Guide to get ideas for outreach and make sure to let us know how you reached out to your community!!

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Suzy Hobbs Baker is the executive director of PopAtomic Studios, a nonprofit organization that conducts educational outreach through the Nuclear Literacy Project. She is an ANS member and a frequent contributor to ANS Nuclear Cafe. Read her recent experiences traveling through Europe at Diary of a Nuclear Tourist – an initiative of the Nuclear Literacy Project